Houthis raid UN offices in Sanaa, after Israeli strike kills PM, ministers
UN chief demands immediate release of detained personnel as tensions escalate following Israeli attack on Yemen’s leadership
CAIRO, Egypt (MNTV) — Houthi security forces raided the offices of several United Nations agencies in Sanaa on Sunday, detaining at least 11 employees, shortly after Israel carried out a deadly strike that killed the group’s prime minister and a number of senior ministers.
According to UN officials, the offices of the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF were entered by armed personnel, who questioned staff and detained multiple employees.
Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for WFP, confirmed the incident, while UNICEF spokesperson Ammar Ammar said several of the agency’s staff were held and that the organization was still assessing the scale of the detentions.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the raids and confirmed that 11 personnel were detained.
He also denounced the “forced entry into UN premises, seizure of property, and attempts to access other offices” in Sanaa.
Guterres called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all UN employees held on Sunday, as well as those detained in earlier incidents.
The move came just days after Israel targeted a meeting of senior Houthi officials in Sanaa, killing Prime Minister Ahmed Al-Rahawi and at least five Cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Gamal Amer, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Medani, Electricity Minister Ali Seif Hassan, Tourism Minister Ali Al-Yafei, and Information Minister Hashim Sharafuldin.
A deputy interior minister, Abdel-Majed Al-Murtada, was also among the dead, according to Houthi government officials and relatives of the victims.
The strike marked one of the most significant losses for the movement’s leadership in recent years.
A funeral for the slain officials is scheduled in Sabeen Square, Sanaa today. Defense Minister Mohamed Nasser Al-Attefi survived the attack, while Interior Minister Abdel-Karim Al-Houthi was not present at the meeting.
UN envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg voiced concern over Israel’s strikes in Houthi-controlled areas, stressing that “Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict” and urging all sides to de-escalate.
The Israeli strike came in response to a Houthi ballistic missile launched on August 21, which Israel described as carrying cluster munitions.
The missile targeted the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport, triggering air raid sirens across central Israel and Jerusalem.
In July, the Houthis vowed to expand their naval blockade strategy by targeting merchant vessels linked to companies trading with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality.
On Sunday, the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, reaffirmed the policy, declaring that “operations against the Israeli enemy through missiles, drones, and the naval blockade will continue and intensify.”
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